Apparatus for orienting and feeding bottles or like articles

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for orienting and feeding bottles, or like articles having necks at one end, in which the bottles are haphazardly picked up from the bin by spaced pairs of spaced alined cleats on an endless conveyor belt whose upper portion is horizontally disposed with means provided along such upper portion to engage the center of the bottle length to gradually elevate each bottle and tilt it into upright position to rest on its base to either side of the elevating means. Means are provided for translating the uprighted bottles on either side of the elevating means to a conveyor that is level with the outlet end of the bottle elevating and uprighting means.

[ 1 3,722,659 [451 Mar. 27, 1973 United States Patent Aidlin et al.

3,477,559 11/1969 Raasch.................................198/198 [54]APPARATUS FOR ORIENTING AND FEEDING BOTTLES, OR LIKE ARTICLES PrimaryExaminerl-Iarvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-James W. MillerAtt0rneyVictor M. Helfand [75] Inventors: Samuel S. Aidlin; Stephen H.Aidlin,

both of Brooklyn; David Rich, Merrick, all of N.Y'.

ABSTRACT Aidlin Automation, Inc., Brooklyn, NY.

Assignee:

[22] Filed: Oct. 7, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 187,330

spaced alined cleats on an endless conveyor belt whose upper portion ishorizontally disposed with means provided along such upper portion toengage .198/33 AC .B65g 47 24 198/33 AC, 33 AA, 197, 19s

[52] US. the gcemer f h bottle length to gradually elevate each bottleand tilt it into upright position to rest on [51] Int.

[ Field of search-W its base to either side of the elevating means.Means are provided for translating the uprighted bottles on either sideof the elevating means to a conveyor that is [56] References Cited levelthe outlet end Of the bottle elevating and uprighting means.

3,144,740 8/1964 Erickson et al. .................198/33 AC 1,124,414Gilliam....... ......................'...198/198 12 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures APPARATUS FOR ORIENTING AND FEEDING BOTTLES, OR LIKE ARTICLESThe present invention relates to apparatus for orienting and feedingbottles, or like articles, in proper position for conveyance to astation where they are to be processed, as by filling and capping.

Orienting and feeding apparatus for bottles, or like articles, of thetype heretofore in use, are, generally, of the rotary or vibratinghopper type, where the bottles are haphazardly picked up from a pile atthe bottom of the hopper and moved toward a discharge chute and onlyselected ones so moved; namely, those in properly oriented position, aredischarged through the cute; the others being returned to the bottom ofthe hopper for successive haphazard pick up. Such apparatus necessarilyfeed oriented articles at a relatively low rate .of speed. Suchapparatus also, because they are formed substantially entirely of metal,are relatively noisy, especially when speeded'up to increase the rate offeeding of oriented bottles. Further, such apparatus, especially thoseof the rotary hopper type, are clumsy and bulky and occupy agreat dealof floor space. For the latter reason, it is not generally practical toarrange a bank of such apparatus to feed their oriented articles to acommon conveyor to thereby attain a rapid supply of such orientedarticles.

It is the object of the present invention, therefore, to provideorienting and feeding apparatus for bottles, or like articles, whichwill properly orient and feed each and every article picked up from thebottom of a bin, without returning any of them back into the bin, to

thereby attain a high rate of feeding the oriented articles.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide apparatus ofthe character described which may be operated at relatively high speedso that articles from the haphazardly arranged pile of the bottom of thebin will be picked up at a higher rate of speed, thereby furtherincreasing the rate of feeding oriented articles by the apparatus.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide apparatusof the character describedwherein the moving parts that pick up thebottles and deliver them to the point of discharge are non-metallic and,4

It is a-still further object of the present invention to provideapparatus of the character described which are of relatively simple andcompact construction and occupy minimal floor space; which are sturdyand durable and relatively economical to produce.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the apparatus of thepresent invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled inthe art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawingand from the description following. It is to be understood, however,that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only to make theprinciples and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible andwithout any intent of limiting the invention to the specific detailstherein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic, isometric view of an escalator for the apparatusof the present invention, and of the bottle uprighting means thereof;the bottle supply bin being shown in fragmentary, sectional form;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, of the apparatus of FIG. 1, together with themeans transferring the erected bottles to a conveyor;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are schematic representations of the several steps inthe erection of bottles on the apparatus.

Generally stated, the present invention contemplates the provision oforienting and feeding apparatus in which bottles, or like articles,having neck portions at one end, or similar end portions of reducedcross section, are haphazardly picked up by spaced, alined cleats of anendless elevator or escalator band from a pile of such articleshaphazardly disposed in a bin. The belt may be of only slightly greaterwidth than the bottles and the bin of slightly greater width than theband. The bottles moved on the escalator are automatically uprightedwhile on the escalator by a balancing plate. supported over the centerof the escalator band and cleared in the space between the cleats; thebalancing plate tapering and widening upwardly to gradually tilt thebottles in the direction of their heavier, wider base portions to eitherside thereof until they are erect, at

which point they are transferred directly from the escalator to aconveyor belt. Side walls are provided alongside of the escalator bandopposite the balancing plate, to retain the uprightly moved bottles onthe escalator.

Referring now more specifically to the embodiment of the inventionschematically illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the same is shownto comprise an escalator, generally designated as 10, for the bottleslZ,having base portions 12a and neckportions 12b. Escalator 10 comprises anendless belt 14 mounted in generally upwardly slanting position over-endrollers, including a lower roller, 16, andan upper roller 18, either oneof which may be made the driving roller with the other one 'being anidler. Belt 14 may be of a width slightly greater than the height of abottle 12 and is provided with spaced, transversely alined pairs ofcleats,

20, that are spaced from one another at the center of p the belt toprovide a passageway, 22, between them and terminate short of the edgesof the belt 14.

Rollers l6 and 18 may be supported from any desired auxilliary structurethat may be associated with the escalator, numerous variation of whichwill readily suggest themselves to any one skilled in the art, and,therefore, not thought necessary to be specifically shown. It may herebe stated, that other elements of the apparatus may likewise besupported from such auxilliary structure, which may be in any suitableform adapted for the purpose.

The lower end of the escalator 10 is disposed within a bin, 24, adaptedto hold a pile of bottles. Preferably,

bin 24, is of a width just sufficient to accommodate the belt 14 and,therefore, of a width not much in excessof the length of a bottle 12, sothat the bottles of the pile within the bin will automatically arrangethemselves with their longitudinal axes parallel to the escalator belt14, for ready pick up by cleats the bottles having their neckhaphazardly arranged in opposed directions.

Preferably, the lower portion, 14a, of the escalator may be horizontallydisposed within the bin 24 (FlG. l) for improved bottle pick up, and mayrise out of the bin in an upwardly tilted direction, as indicated at14b, and thereafter, if desired, tilted downwardly to horizontalposition, as indicated at l4c. Such arrangement may be provided by thenarrow idler rollers, 26 and 28, that overlie and engage. the marginaledge portion of the belt 14 and the rollers, 28 and 30; that mayunderlie the full width of the belt 14. All such idler rollers maylikewise be supported, in any desired manner, from an axillarystructure, as mentioned above.

The bottle uprighting mechanism of the escalator comprises a pair ofside walls, 32 and 34, suitably supportedfroma supporting structure overthe marginal edge portions of belt 24, longitudinally along the uppersection 14c thereof, with their bottom edges in close proximity to thesurface of belt 14. Side walls 32 and 34, is each preferably formed withan inwardly and downwardly tapering lead portion 36 and 38,respectively, which terminates in arelatively sharp lead edge, 40 and42, respectively. Side walls 32 and 34 are preferably of a. maximumheight in excess of the thickness of a bottle 12 to be fed by theapparatusv The bottle uprighting mechanism also includes a bottlebalancing or tipping wall or panel, 44, rigidly supported longitudinallyof the center of belt portion 140,

be supported on the auxiliary structure, referred to of the belt 14 willelevate the bottle 12 from the belt 14, on the sloping portion of thepanel, causing its heavier, base portion 12c to overbalance in thedirection of the wall 32 or 34, adjacent thereto, as the case may be,and raising the neck portion 12a thereof. As the cleats continue to movethe bottle upwardly, the widening of the plate 46 will cause the bottleto be gradually erected; v

the side wall adjacent the base of the bottles serving to confine it forthat purpose. As the escalator continues to move upwardly, the bottlewill be completely erected, and will be moved outwardly in either of thetwo lanes on the escalator, formed between panel 44 and walls 32 and 34.

In order to facilitate the erection of the bottle and preventing itsdisplacement from the overbalanced position in the direction of its baseend, each wall, 32 and 34, may be provided with a downwardly facingshoulder, 50, on its inner surface, with the inner end of the shoulderat approximately a height above belt 14 equal the thickness of thebottle at the base thereof,v

and gradually sloping downwardly outwardly. It will be clear, that as abottle is tilted with its base in the direction of the adjacent wall,theupper edge portion 'of its base will be caught under the shoulder 50which,

as it slants outwardly and downwardly, will cooperate with the adjacentedge of wedged-shaped plate 46 to assure the uprighting to the bottle(FIGS. 4, 5, and 6) It will be clear that any bottle whose base faceswall 32 will be erected between balancing'panel 44 and that wall, and beadvanced through the lane defined between them; and that any bottlewhose base faces side wall 32 will be'erected to be moved in erectedposition in the lane defined between them.

While the width of the bin may be adequate to properly locate the bottleon the moving cleats so that above, in a manner that will be clear toany one skilled in the art. Balancing panel 44 has an upwardly slopinginner lead portion 44a, which rise from its bottom edge to aheight equalat least to half the height of the bottle 12, and may thereafterstraighten out to be substantially parallel with the bottom edge of thepanel. The top edge of the panel may gradually widen or diverge upwardlyand outwardly, as by the provision of an acutely-angled wedge-shapedplate, 46, mounted thereof;

I edges 40 and 42 of the side walls.

The feeding and orienting operation will now become apparent. A bottle12, picked up by a pair of alined cleats 20, from the pile in bin 24-will be moved upwardly towards the lead edges, 40, 42 and '48,.of thesidewalls and of the balancing panel. If the bottle is evenly centeredon the conveyor and escalator belt 14,

' it will pass between side walls 32 and 34, in horizontal position,resting on the supporting cleats "24, until it reaches the balancingpanel 44. Continued movement the center of its length will besubstantially opposite the balancing panel 44 and its heavier base endwill automatically drop by gravity to the belt l4, additional means forinsuring such centering, and to retain the bottle'in centered positionmay be provided, these may be in the-form of low guard rails along themarginal edge portions of the belt 14 against which the bases of thebottles may abut, which guard rails may be extensions of walls 32 and34; all in a manner that will be readily understood. If a bottle isslightly displaced or when it is not centered on balancing panel 44, itsneck portion will be elevated by the lead edge of the wall adjacentthereto before the bottle reaches lead edge 48 of the panel 44 and-willpartially be tilted by the forward slope of such wall to slide towardsthe other side wall, to thereby insure the centering of the bottle andits tilting by panel 44 in the direction of its base.

Means are provided in association of the escalator 10 for translatingbottles-from the escalator to a conveyor, schematically illustrated at52, whose one end is in close proximity to the outer or outlet end ofthe escalator and substantially at a level therewith; Such means maycomprise two pairs of parallel endless gripping belts, 54 and 56 and 58and 60, each pair opposite and overhanging the end of one of the twobottle lanes for erected bottles formed between the edges of wedge plate46 and the adjacent wall 32 or 34, as the case may sheave, 62, and 64and 66 and 68, respectively; each individually supported on a spindle 70that may be supported from abovefrom any suitable auxilliary structureand by any suitable means.

Preferably, the pairs of gripping belts for the two bottle lanes may bearranged at slightly vertically offset levels, relative to one another,as indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, where gripping belts 54 and 56are shown to be at a level below gripping belts 58 and 60. Also theouter of each pair of belts, 54 and 60, respectively, are

disposed at a converging angle to one another and are relatively longerthan their respective companion belts 56 and 58, and have their otherends mounted over sheaves, 76 and 78, respectively, which are supportedon individual spindles, 80 and 82 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Shorter belts 56 and58'of the two-pair are mounted on the individual sheaves, 84 and 86,respectively, which are freely rotatably mounted on a common spindle, 88(FIG. 3). Spindles 80 and 82 may be supported from above from anauxilliary structure, as heretofore stated, and sheaves 76 and 78 may beidlers. Spindle 88 may likewise be supported from above and sheaves 84and 86 are likewise idlers. Sheaves 62, 64, 6 6, and 68 are fixedlysupported on spindles 70, which may be driven or rotated by suitablymounted and connected motors; the spindles for sheaves 62 and 64 and thespindle for sheaves 66 and 68 being operated by individual motors orfrom the same motor by individual gearing, in a manner that will bereadily understood.

It may here be stated that belt 14, belts 52, and gripping belts 54, 56,58, and 60 may all be operated at the same linear speed to insure thesmooth and even translation of bottles by the gripping belts from belt14 to belt 52.

This completes the description'of the bottle orienting and feedingapparatus of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that,because all bottles received on the conveyor are properly oriented, itwill deliver oriented bottles at a high rate of speed. It will also beapparent that because the bottle-moving mechanism of the apparatus andthe bin from which it picks up the bottles-are not substantially widerthan the length of a be additionally apparent that, because the movingparts of the escalator are non-metallic, the apparatus will operate at arelatively low noise level.

It will be further apparent that numerous modifications and variationsmay be made in the apparatus of the present invention, by any oneskilled in the art, in

accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forthand without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity.

We claim:

1. Orienting and feeding apparatus for bottles, or the like, includingan endless conveyor belt, means mounting said conveyor belt for movementwith a lower por-' tion thereof in tilted position and with its upper,outlet end portion in substantially horizontal position, and aplurality-of spaced pairs of spaced cleats securedon said belt intransverse relation thereto, means along each edge of the horizontallydisposed portion of said conveyor belt adapted to form an abutment forthe base of a bottle disposed adjacent thereto, said space between saidpairs of cleats disposedsubstantially opposite the center of saidconveyor belt, and means over the upper portion of said conveyor beltopposite said space and adapted to fit therein engaging a bottle movedby each said pair of cleats to raise and overbalance and thereby uprightthe same on its baseunto said conveyor belt.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bottle-engaging andoverbalancing means comprises a member supported over said upperconveyor belt portion, said disposed portion of said conveyor beltcomprises upright side walls supported over the marginal edge portionsof said conveyor belt, to each side of said member. v

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said side wall is providedwith a projecting shoulder overhanging said conveyor belt, saidprojecting shoulder having its inner end at a height substantially.equal to the thickness of the base of a bottle and sloping graduallydownwardly toward said conveyor belt in the direction of the outlet endthereof. 7

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said side wall. is formed withthe edge of its inner portion sloping downwardly towards said conveyorbelt into close proximity thereto.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the lead edges of the slopingportions of said side walls are offset inwardly relative to the leadedge of said bottle raisin member. I

7. The apparatus of claim 1, in combination with a bin for bottles, saidbin being of a width substantially equal to the width of said conveyorbelt, the lower end of said conveyor belt extending into said bin.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the end portion of said conveyorbelt within said bin is horizontally disposed.

9.The apparatus of claim 2, in combination with a horizontally disposedauxilliary conveyor belt substantially level with the outlet end of saidapparatus, and means overhanging said outlet end of said apparatusengaging the bottles erected thereon and translating the same in erectposition to 'said auxilliary conveyor belt.

. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said translatingmeans comprisesa pair of rotatable endless gripper belts opposite and overhanging eachsaid lane on said conveyor belt, each said pair of gripper belts adaptedto engage an erected bottle moving on the said conveyor belt of saidapparatus and depositing said bottles in v 12. The apparatus of claim11, wherein the endless gripper belts of one of said pairs of gripperbelts is supported in vertically offset relation relative to the otherpair, and wherein the end of each said gripper belt of each said pairoverhanging the outlet end of said conveyor belt is engaged over asheave mounted on an individual, rotatable spindle, and wherein the endof the

1. Orienting and feeding apparatus for bottles, or the like, includingan endless conveyor belt, means mounting said conveyor belt for movementwith a lower portion thereof in tilted position and with its upper,outlet end portion in substantially horizontal position, and a pluralityof spaced pairs of spaced cleats secured on said belt in transverserelation thereto, means along each edge of the horizontally disposedportion of said conveyor belt adapted to form an abutment for the baseof a bottle disposed adjacent thereto, said space between said pairs ofcleats disposed substantially opposite the center of said conveyor belt,and means over the upper portion of said conveyor belt opposite saidspace and adapted to fit therein engaging a bottle moved by each saidpair of cleats to raise and overbalance and thereby upright the same onits base unto said conveyor belt.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinsaid bottle-engaging and overbalancing means comprises a membersupported over said upper conveyor belt portion, said member having atleast its inner portion sloping upwardly from a point close to said beltand adapted to clear through the space between said pairs of cleats, andhaving side edges diverging outwardly toward the outlet end of saidconveyor belt to a point distant from each longitudinal edge of theconveyor belt equal substantially to the thickness of the base portionof a bottle, to thereby provide a lane for moving erected bottles toeach side of said member.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, andwherein said means alongside each edge of said horizontally disposedportion of said conveyor belt comprises upright side walls supportedover the marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt, to each side ofsaid member.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said side wall isprovided with a projecting shoulder overhanging said conveyor belt, saidprojecting shoulder having its inner end at a height substantially equalto the thickness of the base of a bottle and sloping graduallydownwardly toward said conveyor belt in the direction of the outlet endthereof.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said side wall isformed with the edge of its inner portion sloping downwardly towardssaid conveyor belt into close proximity thereto.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein the lead edges of the sloping portions of said sidewalls are offset inWardly relative to the lead edge of said bottleraising member.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, in combination with a binfor bottles, said bin being of a width substantially equal to the widthof said conveyor belt, the lower end of said conveyor belt extendinginto said bin.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the end portion ofsaid conveyor belt within said bin is horizontally disposed.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 2, in combination with a horizontally disposedauxilliary conveyor belt substantially level with the outlet end of saidapparatus, and means overhanging said outlet end of said apparatusengaging the bottles erected thereon and translating the same in erectposition to said auxilliary conveyor belt.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9,wherein said translating means comprises a pair of rotatable endlessgripper belts opposite and overhanging each said lane on said conveyorbelt, each said pair of gripper belts adapted to engage an erectedbottle moving on the said conveyor belt of said apparatus and depositingsaid bottles in erected position on said conveyor belt.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 10, wherein said pairs of gripper belts convergetowards one another in the direction of said conveyor belt whereby thebottles translated by them are deposited on said conveyor belt close toits longitudinal center.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein theendless gripper belts of one of said pairs of gripper belts is supportedin vertically offset relation relative to the other pair, and whereinthe end of each said gripper belt of each said pair overhanging theoutlet end of said conveyor belt is engaged over a sheave mounted on anindividual, rotatable spindle, and wherein the end of the outermost ofeach of said pairs of gripper belts is longer than the inner one thereofand is engaged over an idler sheave mounted on an individual rod, andwherein the outer ends of the inner ones of said gripper belts are eachengaged over an idler sheave mounted on a common rod.